FuelCellToday - The leading authority on fuel cells

Pilot Project Secures Police Communications in Germany

28 Nov 2012

It is the nightmare of all police officers, fire-fighters and paramedics: the power grid collapses and takes with it radio communication. Emergency calls can no longer be answered with response teams having no connection to their headquarters. In Germany, a nationwide pilot project was announced on Monday in Pirschheide to address this issue by using fuel cells to provide emergency power.

By the end of 2013, the €6.6 million project intends to install 116 sites with the new hydrogen fuel cell systems. Containing no moving parts, the fuel cell systems require less maintenance and guaranteed start-up, something diesel generators can struggle with; needing regular starts each month during maintenance to ensure they work when required.